Sheen signs on the ‘Line’

Thesp to star in Spottl's helming debut

Martin Sheen has landed a role in the indie pic “Across the Line” for Brian Duncan’s High Water Films and Randall Emmett Films.

Pic marks the feature directing debut of shorts filmmaker Martin Spottl. Written by Sigal Erez and Spottl, “Across the Line” is a suspense thriller set on the Texas border about a small-town sheriff who exposes a major drug scandal in the U.S. Border Patrol.

Sheen will play a compassionate diner owner and close friend of the sheriff’s, who offers refuge and work to recently arrived immigrants, including a key witness in the case.

The producers are still in negotiations for the starring role of the sheriff. Erez, a Latina writer-actress, is set to play a role in the film.

Pic is scheduled to start shooting in Texas and Arizona in mid-October. Emmett recently went into production on “Speedway Junky.”

Sheen was represented by his manager Glynnis Liberty of the Liberty Co. Duncan and Emmett represented the producers.